Building your own Remington 700

[shredjesse]

Hey there, been having some fun shooting a cheap bolt action 308 rifle I picked up, Mossberg 100ATR. It's nothing award winning by any means but fits the bill. I'd like to build something for precision / hunting. I was thinking a Remington 700 seems like the ideal direction to go, and was interesting in specifics of building your own. In Washington you have to pay sales tax on a firearm you acquire... but if you build it and just get the receiver, that's all you're really distinctly taxed on.


Remington 700 Short Action Receiver Assembly .308 Bolt Face X-Mark Pro Trigger Stainless Steel 27559 - 047700275598

It seems like you can get a decent receiver for $389 or so. From there a good barrel runs about $350 for stainless and in a good weight for accuracy. Toss on a Magpul hunter stock for $250 and it's got a good stock that's easy to adjust and hey it has some nice QD sling stuff and some other basics I'm keen on.

What else would be necessary besides the above? Seems to me like you can build a pretty slick Remington 700 for yourself for notably less, especially when factoring in taxes.

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[Mistman]

Notably less than what??

$389 (action) + $350 (barrel) + $350 (stock) + $150 (trigger) + $150 (gunsmith time for fitting barrel, setting headspace and truing action) + ????? (optic mounts, optics, bipod, bottom metal, etc.) = a bunch of cash.

It's notably cheaper to buy something new (or used) already put together, you can buy a sub MOA Savage out of the box for the cost of a custom barrel alone. A new Rem 700 would run less than $600 for a good shooter. If you're going to be precision shooting you'll be rolling your own ammo eventually which is another pretty decent investment.

It's best just to admit up front you'll be building one because you want to not because you're saving any $$. I've got over a grand into a custom build and it's not even ready to shoot yet. I've got a reamer, barrel, action, trigger and dies so far, still need a stock, action truing, fitting (trading the reamer for GS work), optic mounts and optics. At least another grand to go before it's done and I bought a cheapo used Rem 700 as a platform to start with and will probably go mid-range on optics (Leupold, Vortex) until I settle on something else. If you're not in a hurry you can gather components for a while and watch sales and classifieds to get parts, it helps spread out the expenditures.

Check out Accurateshooter.com for some build flavors. You can buy a used custom built precision rifle for a decent price in the classifieds. A new build will run $3000-$6000+ depending on the components. I don't think there's really anyway to build a rifle cheaper than buying off the shelf even if you're a gunsmith. My neighbors a smith and builds 3-4 rifles a year for himself, the advantage is you get exactly what you want. He still buys off the shelf rifles and just picked up a Rem 700 in 7mm mag on a good deal the other day. Shot sub MOA out of the box with reloads. As usual 'custom' building anything is a slippery slope.

 

[Argonaut]

My Remington 700P (left Hand) carbine. Short action, 308, fluted barrel, H&S aluminum frame Kevlar stock, precision XB40 trigger, 1000.00 new out the door, no sales tax transferred through my local FFL.

 

[No_Regerts]

My question is, how different will yoir rifle be from what you can already buy? Remingtom makes a version from the factory that comes with a magpul stock.

Are you a reloader yet? Buying a factory rifle and a reloading kit will likely do more for your accuracy AND get you out on the range more and sooner. The more you shoot and reload, the more you learn. The more you learn, the morr meaningful your future custom rifle specs will be.

 

[KKG]

Hey, the CMP site has a Remington Barreled Action up for Auction and it's only Up to a bit over 3K!!!

I've always said Auctions are crazy!

 

[shredjesse]

The $389 included trigger, price send to stop at $900. I've yet to see a new 700 with stainless receiver and heavy contour barrel for that price with a nice non field style stock.

That said even if the price is nearly comparable, i avoid taxes on everything but the lower (ffl check, this mandatory taxes).

Reloading is definitely something to consider.


So... All of that said what else is needed? Does a gunsmith need to be involved for assembly it seems really straight forward.

 

[KKG]

You can easily spend as much for the proper tools for this kind of a project as you will on just the parts. It ALL depends upon what level of experience you have and what of the proper tools you have on hand. Many of the tools necessary to get things right and not just "put together" don't have much use around repairing cars for example. You might want to see if you can find a Riflesmith in your area and see if he/she will work with you on this project. Just my thoughts.

By the way, there is a great deal of difference between "Building a Fine Rifle" and "putting together a couple of parts". One turns out something to be proud of and the other is called an AR-15!

 

[shredjesse]

Heh fair enough. I've assembled tons of AR-15's so I presumed there wasn't all that much to it, and the parts cost seems to be a good chunk lower than the comparable new rifles. What sort of stuff is needed?

 

[KKG]

What sort of stuff is needed?

That's what is called a "Real can of worms". Things like a a Barrel Vice and an Action Vice as well as just a high quality Vice Vice. A Barrel Wrench. Chamber Reamers. HIGH Quality Screwdrivers. And the list goes on and on.

I'd suggest you contact Brownells and set up an account. They have the tools, equipment and know how just made for this type of project. And they're Very good at sharing.

 

[No_Regerts]

For a basic rifle, you will need the receiver including bolt, recoil lug, barrel, bottom metal, removable magazine or magazine box, magazine box spring, magazine follower, trigger assembly, stock, scope base, scope rings, scope.

You'll need a gunsmith to crown, chamber, thread, time, and headspace your barrel. The gunsmith should also square your action and make sure your locking lugs engage evenly. Its up to you if you want your stock bedded, I highly recommend it. You can do that yourself, just remember to follow the instructions or your metal parts and the stock will become one.

Its cheaper to buy a factory rifle and restock it. Even with the tax.

 

[No_Regerts]

If you live in vancouver, buy your rifle in Oregon. Just make sure you stop at the DOR office and pay your use tax on the item they would have had no clue you bought in Oregon otherwise.

 

[KKG]

I assembled my share of M-16s while on Active Duty and even spent time "Building" a Lever Action Rifle out on a chunk of Aluminum and a bunch of parts from other Military rifles/shotguns. It came down to the installation of a spring from a GI ball point pen to make it ALL work. The fact that my OIC was a working Riflesmith didn't hurt either. I learned a great deal from that man!

 

[rcnpthfndr]

if you are going to build it yourself all you save is labor costs. my custom 300wm with optic was a little over 7500.00.
Mistman hit it on the head about parts and tool costs.
I used a late 60s R700 LA receiver for my build base. in hind sight after the costs of the receiver, truing, boring the raceways, etc etc I should have just bought a custom receiver because it was less than a hundred dollars difference after all the work was done.
anymore I use CZ, Howa or savage Target action in that order over a R700 for new projects if I don't buy something like a defiance or mausingfield action.

 

[KKG]

I'll agree that buying rather than Building is cheaper but I gained a great deal of satisfaction from Building my first Rifle. I only wish I had been able to bring it back to "The World" with me rather than the ChiCom Pistol that did.

 

[74bronco]

I'LL be the one to vote custom over buying lol- a good trued action and high quality bartlien or krieger or rock cut rifling barrel with a properly cut chamber and threads will almost always out perform oem mass production guns - you strive for sub moa - what about 1/2 moa or 1/4 moa - never seen that out of a over the shelf gun - someone said savage - smh ive seen 3 out of 3 111 trophy hunters not shoot worth a bubblegum - my own 7mm mag - and 2 friends one 30-06 and 300 mag - only after alot of load testing was i able to get my 7mm even close to moa and the other 2 are close to 2 moa with all ammo tried so far - not impressed- now my 1800$ custom will shoot 1/2 on lousy loads and does better then 1/4 moa with refined loads - not sure i can buy a 1800$ over the shelve oem gun that will truely shoot 1/4 moa.

 

[No_Regerts]

I'LL be the one to vote custom over buying lol- a good trued action and high quality bartlien or krieger or rock cut rifling barrel with a properly cut chamber and threads will almost always out perform oem mass production guns - you strive for sub moa - what about 1/2 moa or 1/4 moa - never seen that out of a over the shelf gun - someone said savage - smh ive seen 3 out of 3 111 trophy hunters not shoot worth a bubblegum - my own 7mm mag - and 2 friends one 30-06 and 300 mag - only after alot of load testing was i able to get my 7mm even close to moa and the other 2 are close to 2 moa with all ammo tried so far - not impressed- now my 1800$ custom will shoot 1/2 on lousy loads and does better then 1/4 moa with refined loads - not sure i can buy a 1800$ over the shelve oem gun that will truely shoot 1/4 moa.

I would agree if you're a 1/4 MOA shooter. Its one thing to put a few close together at 100 vs doing it beyond 300. Shooting beyond 300 yards for groups can be sobering if you've never done it before.

 

[74bronco]

I agree with no sense in a gun beyond the abilities of a shooter- on the flip side if you know your gun can do it but you cant then the learning starts on trigger control- how your holding your rifle- breathing etc to try to get your abilities up with the weapon

 

[No_Regerts]

I agree with no sense in a gun beyond the abilities of a shooter- on the flip side if you know your gun can do it but you cant then the learning starts on trigger control- how your holding your rifle- breathing etc to try to get your abilities up with the weapon

It does take a lot of variables out of the equation and can shorten learning curve. I have a Sig P226 that I use to help teach novice pistol shooters about trigger control. If you cant hit something with it, its not the gun.

 

[MrElectric03]

If I were you, and I was in the same position at one time, I bought a r700 sps varmint and upgraded the stock. A 700p has a nicer barrel, if you look around you can find the r700 5r that has a great barrel and stock. I have under a grand into it including the scope and it's more accurate than I am, but I'm learning.

Without reloading, an expensive action will get you nothing. If anything buy a rifle and start reloading and slowly build a custom rig. Once it's done sell the one you've been using. Out of the $1,000 of parts you listed, you'll save what, $80 in taxes? Up to you but that's not a big deal when it's being out into a quality gun in my opinion.

 

[xtratoy]

The $389 included trigger, price send to stop at $900. I've yet to see a new 700 with stainless receiver and heavy contour barrel for that price with a nice non field style stock.

That said even if the price is nearly comparable, i avoid taxes on everything but the lower (ffl check, this mandatory taxes).

Reloading is definitely something to consider.


So... All of that said what else is needed? Does a gunsmith need to be involved for assembly it seems really straight forward.

I am curious how you avoid sales taxes unless you personally go out of state to make your purchases. Almost all internet sales are taxed now if you live in a state that has sales tax. Sometimes driving to where you don't need to pay tax will cost more in gasoline and time spent.